The Tiger Lily, known botanically as Lilium lancifolium, is a widely recognized garden flower, distinguished by its tall stature and striking orange petals covered in dark spots. Like all true lilies, its ability to persist and spread relies on a specialized underground storage organ. Understanding the appearance of this bulb is important for both identifying the plant and for proper cultivation or propagation. This article will describe the visual and structural characteristics of the Tiger Lily’s main bulb and its unique reproductive features.
Anatomy and Visual Characteristics of the Main Bulb
The Tiger Lily’s underground storage structure, or bulb, is typically globose or ovate in shape, growing to a diameter of approximately one to three inches at maturity. Unlike many common garden bulbs, it does not possess a smooth, continuous outer layer. Instead, it is composed of numerous loose, overlapping scales attached to a basal plate, which is the short, compressed stem at the bottom.
These scales are fleshy, plump, and serve as the plant’s primary reservoir for nutrients, allowing it to survive periods of dormancy. The color of the scales is generally white or a pale yellowish-white, sometimes exhibiting a slight purple tint on the outer edges. The visual effect is often described as resembling a small, loose head of garlic, though the individual scales are thicker and more succulent.
Each scale is a modified leaf, and the entire structure lacks a continuous, protective outer skin. The scales are separate and distinct, giving the bulb a textured, scaly appearance that is highly characteristic of the species.
How Tiger Lily Bulbs Differ from Other Species
The unique structural composition of the Tiger Lily bulb is technically known as a non-tunicate, or imbricate, structure. This signifies the absence of a tunic, which is the thin, dry, papery outer layer found on bulbs from genera like Tulipa (tulips), Narcissus (daffodils), and Allium (onions). The smooth, protective tunic on those other bulbs helps prevent moisture loss and mechanical damage.
The non-tunicate nature of the Tiger Lily bulb means its fleshy scales are constantly exposed and more vulnerable to environmental changes. Because there is no papery covering to seal in moisture, the scales can dry out quickly when the bulb is exposed to air.
Consequently, when handling Tiger Lily bulbs, it is important to keep them moist and replant them as quickly as possible after digging. This characteristic requires a distinct approach to handling and propagation compared to tunicate varieties, which remain viable longer due to their protective layer.
Secondary Identification Feature: The Aerial Bulblets
While the main bulb is found underground, the Tiger Lily possesses a highly distinctive secondary reproductive feature visible above the soil line: the aerial bulblet, or bulbil. These structures are small, pea-sized, dark-colored nodules that form in the leaf axils, the point where the leaf meets the main stem. This feature is reliable for identifying Lilium lancifolium.
These bulblets appear as shiny, dark brown to black, ovoid structures, often less than a half-inch in length. They are essentially miniature, genetically identical clones of the main bulb growing along the stem.
As they mature, they detach from the parent plant and fall to the ground, where they can root and grow into new plants over the course of a few seasons. The production of these readily visible aerial bulblets is an efficient form of asexual reproduction.